As a Yanzhou native, when facing Xiahoudun, Man Chong analyzed that this was a discordant plan on the part of Qingzhou, and at the same time, he instinctively distinguished his fellow Yanzhou villagers.

"Zhongde, Gongtai and other affairs have been in charge for a long time, with all his heart and soul, sincere and loyal, how can he be the person who betrays the Lord regardless of his name? Please also let Yuan think twice! ”

"If Yanzhou's civil and military affairs are suspicious, the military and government will not be at ease, how can they work together to resist the enemy army? This is also a strategy to divide the enemy. ”

Man Pet said it for a long time, and Xiahoudun also listened to it for a long time.

It wasn't until Man Pet felt his mouth dry that he stopped. Full of favor looked at Xiahoudun, his eyes full of anticipation. Xiahoudun said faintly: "Boning, I believe in you and Zhongde, but everyone in Yanzhou can be trusted?" ”

At first, I was quite happy with my pet, but when I heard the second half of the words, my heart was cold again. Man Pet couldn't help but stand up and said loudly: "Yuan Rang, we can't be suspicious of each other at this time!" Hit the enemy! If Yuan Rang is in doubt, it is better to ask the lord to decide! ”

In the end, Xiahoudun did not publicize this matter, nor did he bother Cao Cao, who was thousands of miles away. Only Man Pet knows that there has been a small crack between the civil and military forces in Yanzhou. If there is some slight external force, it will expand rapidly and then explode.

It's just that there is no way to be full of pets. Suspicion together cannot be eliminated by a few people patting their chests and pledging loyalty. Especially now that you are in a vulnerable position.

And in fact, it is only in an environment of unprecedented self-confidence and superiority that human beings are less suspicious of each other. And when there is disadvantage and pessimism, if suspicion arises, it will be difficult to control.

In fact, this was also confirmed from Xiahoudun's next actions. After resting for a few days in Snake Hill, Xiahoudun led his troops to retreat, but asked Zang Ba to stick to Snake Hill.

Zang Ba said: "Today, Juping, Chengxian, and Wenyang are all in the hands of the enemy, and I am stationed in Snake Hill, and the troops are insufficient, and there are enemies on three sides, so I am afraid that it will be difficult to defeat the Han army." It is better to abandon the snake hill and retire Baozhang County, which is the best policy. ”

If it was in normal times, Xiahoudun would have allowed it. But at this time, Xiahoudun looked at everyone with a layer of suspicion. He felt that Snake Hill could still defend it, at least it could delay the footsteps of the Han army, so as to buy time for him to establish a new defense line in the back, but why didn't Zang Ba agree?

But I didn't think about it, Zang Ba was newly defeated, there were not many troops in his hands, and the morale was not up, if he abandoned the city with full favor, but left Zang Ba alone to lead his troops to guard the snake hill, how could this be kept. Zang Ba spoke out against it, and it was right. And Zang Ba is not wrong, in the case of being surrounded by enemies on three sides and insufficient troops, it is extremely difficult to hold Snake Hill. If this battle is over, Zang Ba will become a bare-bones general. Such a thankless thing, Zang Ba is naturally unwilling to do it.

But as soon as Zang Ba started speaking, Xiahoudun was not satisfied.

He frowned, looked at Zang Ba and said coldly: "Xuan Gao, this is a military order, do you want to disobey the order?" ”

Xiahoudun was the general of the military forces designated by Cao Cao as the governor of Yanzhou, and he made a decision, and the generals naturally had to follow the order. It's just that Zang Ba's team is self-contained, and Xiahoudun is usually very polite to him, and everything is discussed. Unexpectedly, at this time, it was a seizure.

When Zang Ba heard this, he couldn't help but be angry in his heart, got up with his clothes, and went out without saying anything.

Xiahoudun looked at Zang Ba's distant back, snorted coldly, and said to Man Pet, who was staying aside: "Boning, let's go." ”

After leaving the city, the bitter man said to Xiahoudun: "Yuan Rang, stay here with Xuangao, with his newly defeated army." How is he the opponent of Zhang Fei and Tai Shici? ”

Xiahoudun said: "So what. But in his heart, he secretly thought, suspicion, can only be washed with blood.

Man Pet stopped talking, didn't this let Zang Ba die?

Along the way, both of them seemed silent.

Before long, the army retreated from Snake Hill to Zhangxian County and held the upper reaches of Wenshui. I want to protect Dongping. It was also at this time that Cao Ren led the army to Changyi. Cao Ren received Xiahou Yuan's letter before, and also knew that Yanzhou was having a hard time, who would have thought that after Changyi, he found that under the repeated actions of Cheng Yu and others, Liu Bei's army was still overwhelming, seizing the entire territory of Mount Tai, Jibei and most of Dongjun.

And the death of Ren Jun and Lu Qian also made Cao Ren sigh with emotion. Ren Jun is brave in doing things, and has relatives with the Cao family, and Lu Qian is familiar with military affairs and can be called a good general. Who would have thought that it would be folded in the hands of the Han army like this.

Cao Ren didn't stay long in Changyi when he received a letter from Xiahoudun. After hurriedly running to Zhangxian, Cao Ren saw Xiahoudun, and couldn't help complaining: "Yuan Rang is so confused, if the ministers of Yanzhou really have different intentions, you and I will already be imprisoned by the subordinates, why delay until this time." ”

This will be a failure in Yanzhou, if someone really wants to vote for the north, there is no need to wait and see here, launch a mutiny early, and surrender the land will not be over?

Don't look at the Wenchen of Yanzhou who don't lead the troops, but their slaves are also a big force.

Xiahou sighed: "How can I not know? I don't suspect that Yanzhou owns it, but I suspect one or two of it. I don't know who one or the other is. ”

Cao Ren understood what Xiahoudun meant, he didn't suspect everyone, but suspected that one or two of them might be connected with the north.

Cao Ren smiled and said to Xiahoudun: "Yuan Rang, what if someone secretly communicates with the north, Meng De has already made it clear that after Liu Xuande broke Yuan's original situation, it is already unstoppable to take advantage of the situation in the north." Under the circumstance that Guan and Liang have been calmed down, and Yu and Liao have been decided, Yan and Yu will inevitably become Liu Xuande's next target. We are waiting here, whether we win or lose, as long as we drag Liu Jun's footsteps south, so that Meng De can seize Xichuan and recover Jingzhou, we can reverse the situation and contend with Liu Xuande. ”

"Yanzhou's insecurity is a foregone conclusion. It is meaningless to investigate in depth who defects to the enemy, but on the contrary, the gains will outweigh the losses and shake people's hearts. ”

Xia Houdun said: "If this is the case, the situation in my Yanzhou, the enemy army is not clear, how to fight with it?" ”

Cao Ren said: "You and I are both generals of the army, from now on, the matter of marching and arranging the formation can be decided by ourselves, why report it to Cheng Zhongde and Chen Gongtai?" I don't know what you and I are planning, so how can we deliver the message? ”

Xiahoudun said: "In this way, I am afraid that Zhongde and others will be dissatisfied." ”

Cao Ren said: "It's okay, I deserve this matter, I will go back to Changyi and personally persuade Zhongde." The two had decided, and Cao Ren immediately returned to Changyi to see Cheng Yu.

If you talk about the ministers of Yanzhou, who Cao Ren and Xiahoudun believe the most, except for Cheng Yu, there is no one else.

Seeing Cheng Yu, Cao Ren simply explained everything before and after to Cheng Yuhe, and proposed to Cheng Yu that he would work with Xiahoudun to decide the matter of the military aircraft and no longer report it to the Yanzhou shogunate.

Cheng Yu listened with a solemn face, and he also understood that Cao Ren already trusted himself very much. Otherwise, it's normal not to know him. Cao Ren and Xiahoudun are both ministers of the lord and the henchmen, and they want to do their own business in Yanzhou, who can stop them.

Seeing Cao Ren say it, Cheng Yu could only nod in agreement, and said that he would inform the others by himself. From then on, the Yanzhou shogunate was only responsible for money, food and civil affairs, and did not interfere in military operations.